Ruins of War
by v-the-valiant
Summary: One shot about what might have happened after Ethan and Julia reunite in MI:3


Disclaimer: Do not own MI:3

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_The pain was unbearable. The white hot pain broke through the haziness from the drug that he had taken. He could feel panic and terror overwhelm him as he struggled desperately against his bonds, realizing exactly what it was that had been injected into his brain; the very same nano-explosive that killed his most precious student. The worst though, was watching his wife, hurt and scared, sitting before him crying, waiting to die. And he could do nothing about it._

"_8…9…"_

_He thrashed and kicked, franticly trying to do _something_ to save his wife._

"…_10" BANG_

He woke up drenched in cold sweat, shivering beyond control. He tried to bolt up, but found himself unable to even open his eyes. Immediately his mind raced with the possibilities; captured, drugged---

"Ethan? …Ethan?"

Tears began to trickle out of the corners of his eyes.

'_I'm dreaming. She's dead…'_

A small soft hand slipped into his while the other gently wiped away his tears. Julia's hands.

"Don't try to move. Just squeeze my hand if you can hear me."

His instincts and all of his training screamed wildly against it.

'_Don't…you don't know who she is…'_

Yet he squeezed her hand. He tried to ask her who she was, but found that all he could make was a weak, rasping noise, his mouth too dry to form any other sound.

"Don't speak…you need your strength. I'm going to give you some water. Drink it slowly."

He felt his head being raised slowly, carefully, and a cup was placed to his lips. Slowly, slowly, the water dribbled between his parched lips. As he drank, he felt his mind becoming clearer.

"Who…are you?" He whispered weakly.

"It's me sweetie, Julia."

"No…No…It can't be. She's…She…" At this, his voice cracked.

She brushed away Ethan's tears, slowly caressing his face.

"It's OK. I'm alive. It's all over…Remember which lake we met at?"

He waited silently with bated breath for her answer.

"Wakatachi Lake. It's OK. Everything's all right now."

He forced his eyes open, and sure enough, there was his wife by his bedside, looking like an angel.

He slowly smiled and grabbed her hand tightly as sleep overcame him once again.

She looked over at his peaceful face as he fell asleep once more. Two days later, after hell on earth, she still had no idea what was going on. Right then, she didn't really care. All she cared about was Ethan. Making sure he survived. She would not let him die on her again.

He had slept for thirty six hours, only stirring once before, and even then, his eyes just barely opened before he fell asleep once again. He was improving; this time he woke up fully, although weakly, and even spoke.

It was strange… When Ethan had revived, he immediately searched for threats, hugging her tightly against his broad chest with one arm as the other aimed the gun at potential enemies. She clearly remembered him staring at the well-dressed man dead next to them and whispering, "You did that?" Immediately afterwards, he started to tremble violently, having used his very last reserves of strength. She lowered him carefully to the ground, examining him.

"Julia, listen to me." He whispered softly, pain filling his voice.

"Ethan." She had started to sob.

"I need you to find a place to stay. A hotel, motel, anything. We need somewhere safe…"

"Ethan, you need a hospital!" I cried desperately.

"NO!" He gritted his teeth from the effort. "No, we cant go there… It's too dangerous. Julia… please… trust me just one more time. I swear, it will be the last time…" His voice slowly got weaker until it dwindled to nothing.

"…_please_…" he whispered one last time before falling unconscious.

She had shouted in the streets, looking for someone, _anyone_, who spoke a word of English. Finally, an older woman took pity on her and her "drunk" husband, as she was passing Ethan off, and gave her a room to stay in. She did however, take privilege of the medicinal resources at the apothecary before leaving. However much use all these primitive herbs would be.

She looked down at Ethan's face, sleeping now, breathing fully and deeply, and thanked God for the first time in her life.

Waves of warmth beckoned Ethan, sleep trying to claim him once more. He struggled against it, fighting for consciousness. Something tugged at the back of his mind, something that was forgotten, but he didn't have the strength to concentrate on that as well. First, open your eyes.

And at noon on the third day, Ethan Hunt awoke to find his exhausted wife sleeping beside him with one arm flung across his chest. He caressed her face and smoothed her hair carefully, just drinking in the sight of his beautiful and _alive_ wife. She stirred beneath his touch, slowly opening her eyes.

"Are you OK?" he rasped.

"I always was. You on the other hand…" She grinned ruefully, getting up to check his bandages.

Ethan laughed softly, then winced from the pain that it caused. Julia frowned, her look enough to tell him not to try that again anytime soon. Still tired, he closed his eyes to rest for just a few moments, when he felt teardrops splattering onto his hand. It tore his heart in two to see his wife crying. He pulled her gently into his arms, holding her tightly and smoothing her hair.

"Shhh… It's all right. It's all over."

"You almost _died_." She whispered. "You almost _died, _and I don't even know why."

'_For you, Julia. For you.' _he thought.

It took a long time to explain it to Julia, for more than one reason. It was hard to tell her, or anyone for that matter, after so many years of secrecy. She interrupted a lot too, asking a lot of questions. She also made Ethan stop several times so that he could rest, something that he was very grateful for, even though he would never admit it. Ethan held her when she cried out her fears of the last few days, and she held him when he cried about the death of his first student, the one that he failed to save. They soon fell into an exhausted sleep, entwined in each other's arms.


End file.
